Railroad switch



Sept. 16, 1952 G. A. swAzEY RAILROAD swITcH 2 srmETsf-smam r1 IllOIJIIIII s ll. l

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Filed June 19, 1950 lll .MII

I 'III IT INVENTOR L z'wazey BY Z 7 Z( Sc A'VTORNEYSv lll o l. Il'.

Sept. 16, 1952 G. A. swAzEY RAILROAD swITcH 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed June19, 1950 INVENTOR` J Saa-are y .mlm

BY i ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 16, 1952 I,UNrrspsTATEs PATENT OFFICE dRAILROAD swrrcn George A. ASwazey, Milo, Maine Application June 519,1950," seri-amc. leanitf` '1 Claim. .(Cl. E46-P446.)

-l This invention relates to railroad switches.

-An object of this invention is to provide an improved railroad switchwhich is so constructed as to eliminate any lpossibility of derailmentand to provide switching rails which are substantially normal in size asto the headsthereof rather than being formed as points. l

Another object of this invention is to provide a railroad Vswitchstructure adapted for interposing in a-main lineV and a-pair 'ofoppositely extending sidings, the structure being so constructed bothsidings' may loe-served from a single switch structure. Y

A 'further object -ofthis invention is to provide a switch structure ofthis 'kind which lis so roonstru'cted that 'it will 'not become vcloggedor `inoperative-during snow or icy-weather.

With the*` above and .other objects in view, my invention consists inthe arrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed yinthe drawings and specification, and then more particularly pointed outin the appended claim.

r In the-drawings:

.Figure 1 is a plan view `of a railroad switch structure constructedaccording to an embodiment of this invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the line 2?-2 ofFigure l.

Fh'gure '3 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the line 3-3 ofFigure 1.

Figure 4 `is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4--4 ofFigure l.

Figure 5 is la fragmentary sectional view taken onthe line 5--5 ofFigure 1.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure1.

Figure '7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line I-l ofFigure 2.

. Referring to thedrawings, the numerals I ,and II designate a pair ofmain line rails, and vthe numerals I2 and I3 designate a pair vof sidingrails. A second pair of side rails I4 are disposed oppositely from thesiding rails I2 and I3 extending in the opposite direction from rails I2and I3.

A r switch structure constructed according'to an embodiment of thisinvention is interposed 'in the main line rails It and II and in thesiding rails I2, I3, and I4. The switch structure embodies a pair ofbase plates I which are each provided with a pair of upstanding andrelatively thick webs I6 and I1. The web I6 is adapted to be normallydisposed in alignment with the main line rail I0, and the web I1 isadapted to be normally disposed in alignmentl with siding rail I2 whenthe switch structure is disposed in a position to permit the Atrain andcars to move over thermain line. The web I1 is the Asiding web and islongitudinally curved.

` A relatively short straight rail section I8 is carried by the base I5at one end thereof being in alignment with the main line rail I0, and asecond relatively short fixed rail section -I Sir is disposedat theopposite end of the base I5 being also in alignment with vmain .linerail Il). A relatively short xed'rail member 2Q fis carried by the-basei5 in offset relation to rail-section I8 and is adapted to abut theadjacent end of the siding rail l2. A second side rail section 2l isdisposed -at 'the opposite end-of the base I5 and i'sadaptedvto abutagainst the second siding 'rail- I 4.

The `two "base- Airl-embers I5 are yconnected to# gether in parallelrelation by means of a plurality of spaced apart tie bars 22 which aresecured at the opposite ends thereof to the basemembers I5 by fasteningmembers 23. 'A .rail head carrier constructed in the formv ofanelongated plate 24 slidably `engages over the pair of wide webs I6 andI1 which constitute guides for the plateor carrier Zfand the carrier 2li.has secured through a mainline rail head 25 and a siding rail head 26.The siding rail head 2S is longitudinally curved so that when the mainline rail head25 is in alignment with the main line I0,;the siding railhead 26 .will be disposed in. abutting and aligning relation :withrespect-to the siding yrail sections 2EI1'and'2rI. y I

The carrier plate 24 at one vend thereof is formed with an Vendwiseprojecting tongue vor pivot member 21, and the fixed railsection'si and20 which are formedintegral with the guides it and` I'I are providedwithslots 2.8 within which the carrier 2.4 slidably engages, the upperside of the-slotbeing. disposed .in substantial 'alignment withthe'lovver side of the railheads of the fixed rail sectionsi 8 and 20,As shown in Figure k'7, the tongue or pivot .21 is rounded as indicatedatf2la so that .thecarrier 24 may beswung clockwise as a indicated byarrow 21h, lfrom a position wherein the main rails areY in alignment andthesiding rails' are also in alignment, to a position .wherein theopposite ends ofthe siding rails will align withthe main rails, as shownin dotted lines in .Figure 1. The xed rails I9 and 2| also haves1ots29'in the' webs thereof within which the adjacent ends of thecarriers 24 are adapted to slidably engage. The adjacent end of the railsection I8 has the head thereof cut on a bevel as indicated at 30, andthe adjacent end of the rail head 25 is undercut as at 3l so as to beparallel with the bevel 30.

At the opposite end the head of the rail section I9 is cut on a bevel asindicated at 32, and the adjacent end of the rail head 25 is undercut asat 33 so as to be parallel With the bevel 32. The siding rail head 26and the siding rail members 20 and 2| are undercut in a manner similarto that shown in Figure 2 with respect to the fixed rails I8 and I9, andthe main rail head 25. The relatively thick webs I6 and I1 which formguides for the carrier 24 are extended at the opposite ends thereof toprovide reinforcing vwebs 34 formed integral with the webs with thefixed rail sections I8, I9, 20, and 2|. The swinging ends of thecarriers 24 are limited in one direction by means of stop members orlugs 35 which are carried by blocks 36 fixed in any suitable manner tothe guides I1. I

The two carriers 24 are connected together at the ends thereof oppositefrom the pivot members 21 by means of a tie bar 31 which engages beneaththe plates I5. The tie bar 31 has xed thereto a pair of upwardly offsetlugs 31 formed with bases 38 secured by fastening means 39 to the tiebar 31.

A pivot member 40 extends through a tongue or lug k4I projecting fromone edge of plate or carrier 24 and is secured in the lug 31. A secondpair of lugs or stopmembers 42 are disposed oppositely from the lugs 31being formed with bases 43 secured by fastening means 44 to the tie bar31. The lugs 34 confront the guide members or `webs I6 and are adaptedto abut against the web IS when carrier 24 is disposed in a positionwith the main line head 25 aligning with the main line rail I0. A pairof pins 45 are extended through the lugs 4I and are adapted uponswinging of the carrier 24 to a switching position to abut against theweb or guide I1. A lug 46 is fixed to the web of each rail section 2Ibeneath the head thereof and projecting out- Wardly from the slot 46 soas to provide an additional bearing surface engageable with the adjacentend of the carrier 24. The carrier 24 has projecting from onevedgethereof a relatively long lug 41, and a stop member 48 is extendedthrough the lug 41 for engagement with the guide I1 when the carrier isswung to a switching position. The lug` 41 is positioned intermediatethe length of the carrier 24 so that this carrier will b'e-stop'pedinits swinging movement towards switching position by two or more stopmembers. In the use and operation of this switch structure the connectedtogether base members I5 are interposed in the main line rails I andbetween the siding rails I2, I3, and I4. The tie bar 31 projectslaterally from one of the base members I and is adapted to be connectedto a suitable operator at one side of the rail structure. When theswitch is disposed ina position as shown in full lines in Figure 1 thecars and enginel will move along the main line I0. Where it is desiredto switch the cars and engine onto siding rails I2 and I3, as anexample, the cars and engine are moved Vto the left as viewed in Figure1, and when the last car has passed the ends of the rail heads 25 and26, the carriers 24 may be shifted to the dotted line position shown inFigure 1.

'4 The cars and engine may then be moved to the right, and at this timethe switching rail heads 26 will be disposed in alignment or abuttingrelation with respect to the fixed rail members I9.

The cars and engine will thereupon move over siding rail head 26 andonto siding rails I2 and I3. In the event it is desired to shift thecars to the oppositely disposed siding rails I4 the switch is shifted toits .main line position shown inffull lines in Figure 1, and the carsare then moved to the left. The cars will move over the `siding railheads 26 which at this time are disposed in abutting and aligningposition with respect to rail members 2I and I4.

A switch structure constructed according to an embodiment of thisinvention will eliminate the thin switch points at present in use whichfrequently cause derailments. Furthermore, in view of the fact that thecarriers 24 are slidable on the guidewebs I6 and I1 in ahorizontalposition, these carriers -will notvbe held against movement byaccumulation of ice or the like so that the switch structure will beoperative in a safe manner under all Weather conditions.

What is claimed is:

A railroad switch for interposing in a main rail line and between a pairof oppositely extending sidings comprising a pair of base members eachformed of a base plate and a. pair of spaced apart upstandng webs fixedto said plate. a pair of stub rails extending from the ends of said websand ilxed to said plate, one member of each pair of stub rails aligningwith the main rail and the other member of said pair of stub railsaligning with an adjacent siding rail, a pair of carriers slidablyengaging on the upper edges of said webs between said stub rails, a,pair of spaced substantially parallel rail heads fixed to each carrier,said rail heads in one position of said carriers aligning said stubrails, each stub rail having an outwardly projecting slot in the innerend thereof within which said carrier slidably engages, means pivotallymounting said carriers at one end thereof between adjacent pairs of stubrails, a carrier shifting member engaging beneath said base plate, andmeans pivotally securing said shifting member to said carriers at theends thereof opposite from said pivot means.

GEORGE A. SWAZEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PA'I'ENTs

